Alexis Michelle has been vanquished and Jimbo is celebrating her first lip sync victory “four years in the making.” The mirror lipstick message is signed “Miss Manpig 2023,” to which Kandy Muse remarks, “Good for her.” Jimbo’s mirror cleaning skills are well honed after four victories!
Jessica Wild takes a peek into Jimbo’s ghost crotch to see what’s in there. “Be careful,” warns Jimbo, “my balls may be out.” “They are!” cries Jessica, and with that, the library is closed! Jimbo is worried that her alliance with Kandy is tenuous and that she’s going to have to trust her. Right!
This week in the werkroom, Ru announces that “whether you’re a Michelangel-Ho or a Georgia O’Queef”, you’ll have to paint like a master or it “might be time to Vincent Van Gogh.” (Tell that to Claude Monet X Change and Peter Paul Ru-bens!) But first we have a mini challenge where the queens have to transform their torso into a Jean Paul Gaultier fragrance bottle in 45 minutes. Ready, set, Gaultier!
Jessica dons a pineapple body suit for her fragrance, Forbidden Juice. Kandy’s My Muse is for a vain and broke queen with expensive taste (I bought four bottles.) Ru asks Jimbo if she ever thought about putting out a fragrance. “I put out a few fragrances this morning,” she notes. Her fragrance is Lady Nightshade. Jessica wins the mini challenge.
Today’s episode is devoted to the letter L, as in lesbian. We meet three women—Amanda-Faye, Angie and Lisa—who will participate in the makeover maxi challenge. The queens must share the miracle of drag and transform them into fabulous drag queens. They look none too excited, but hey, they signed up!
The women have to reach into a furry pink box carried by Pit Crew member Asaf* and draw the name of the drag queen they’ll be matched with. (Ru: “You know about furry pink boxes, right?” Cringe.) Angie, a butch dyke, is paired with Kandy and will perform as Kookie Muse. Lisa is a self-described cat lady and becomes Kitty Wild. Amanda, paired with Jimbo, is not feeling Jimbo’s clown vibe and later takes the name Sissy Delicious. As Jessica notes, everyone is escared!
*A moment to shout out Asaf Goren, about whom not enough can be said. All I can say is woof!
Ok back to business. Ru does a walk through to meet the pairs and encourage them to shine. He also tells them they will have to perform a choreographed lip sync to a mashup of Charisma Peanut Butter Bitch. (It so happens I was a charismatic peanut butter sandwich-eating bitch in grade school, so I know this song.) The women seem to have little affinity for posing, strutting or peacocking. And in heels, it’s even worse!
About this time, I’m wondering how I feel about this entire premise, which seems shaky at best. But a smart conversation about the women’s childhood relationship to femininity and the reclamation of queer slurs, like dyke, opens up some meaningful space. The drag queens are performing femininity; the lesbians are resisting it. It’s an interesting contrast. I’m impressed with their willingness to push boundaries.
On the main stage, the runway category is Drag Family Resemblance. Jessica and Kitty Wild are serving feline Gaga realness. Jimbo and Sissy are sexed up in sheer black with big boobs. (Michelle Visage: “You’ve heard of The Judds? They’re the Juggs.) But the star of the show is Kandy’s mate Kookie, a total butch who completely leans into the 60’s That Girl mod fantasy and burns the house down. Kandy wins the challenge.
Kandy is pitted against lip sync assassin Priyanka, winner of Canada Drag Race season 1. They perform to “Jumpin’ Jumpin’” by Destiny’s Child. Priyanka slays and is holding two elimination lipsticks since Kandy and Jessica each voted to send home the other. This leaves Kandy to decide who leaves and she chooses Jessica. I don’t think this was the best strategic decision given that Jimbo is the top competitor, but I think a Jimbo/Kandy finale was inevitable.
So two episodes to go! Next week we’ll see all of the season 8 eliminated queens return to perform and strut for the Fame Games. And then in two weeks, the finale. Shout out to Jessica Wild for her great showing after being away from competition since Drag Race season two in 2010. ¡Viva Puerto Rico! See you next week!
Read Dante’s previous recaps [here] and follow him on Instagram: @dantenoto